ITV names Claire Heys new brand partnerships and content director

Following the departure of ITV’s commercial content director, Gary Knight, the broadcaster has this week promoted Claire Heys to the new role of brand partnerships and content director.

ITV said Hayes will occupy a different role to Knight, but will cover a similar area. Knight announced he was stepping down after 40 years at the commercial broadcaster earlier this month.

Heys, who is currently director, commercial brand partnerships, joined ITV in 2013 from Endemol UK where she was head of the commercial team. She has since worked with Suzuki on Ant and Dec and Aunt Bessie’s on Downton Abbey and I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

Recently she led the Primark licensing deal for Love Island, which saw reactive slogan t-shirts stocked in Primark stores during the series.

Heys will report into Simon Daglish, ITV deputy managing director, commercial, who said: “Claire has been at the forefront of some of our biggest commercial partnerships and most creative ideas so this is a very well deserved promotion.

“I look forward to working with her closely in her new role and on many commercial partnerships to come, plus she’s the one to thank for bringing Love Island personalised water bottles to the market!”

Heys added: “I’ve had some great opportunities since joining ITV and am really excited about this new role. I’m looking forward to working with even more brands and opportunities around ITV Commercial’s innovations.”